Exploring all the flashlight options from Nite Ize? If so, it’s possible that you’ve become confused by all the specs and stats. What’s a lumen? How bright of a flashlight should you choose? How long will the flashlight last on fresh batteries or a full charge? What’s an ANSI or IP rating?

It’s okay. I get it. I love flashlights and believe it’s not only important to have reliable flashlights throughout your house, but to also have the right flashlight for the job in each case. But that’s also where us consumers can get a bit befuddled because bigger isn’t always better, brighter isn’t always the best for the job and not every flashlight is ready to take on the rugged outdoors.

To shed some light on the situation, let’s have a closer look at these important questions relating to the purchase of a flashlight using the popular Radiant® 3-in-1 LED Mini Flashlight as our example device. Check the specs and you’ll see that it’s rated at 80 lumens, has seven different modes, including both a high and low mode, and works off one AA battery.

But what does it all mean?

Lumens vs. Brightness?

Light output is measured in a unit called lumens, whether it’s your car headlights, a searchlight or the small LED on the back of your iPhone.

A lumen is “the amount of light emitted in a unit solid angle of one steradian from a uniform source of one candela.” Sounds complicated, but it just means that lumens measure the total amount of light output. People often assume that lumens measure brightness, however brightness is impacted significantly by beam width -- meaning that a light source will be brighter with a narrow beam and dimmer with a wider beam (or 360-degree illumination). That’s why pinpoint light is brighter than a wide angle beam from the very same flashlight.

Don’t just jump to the brightest possible device, however, because in the case of flashlights, bigger is not always better. One big reason is the trade-off of light output vs battery life: higher lumens require more power!

Brightness vs. Battery Life

The Radiant 3-in-1 LED Mini Flashlight has two brightness modes. In high mode, it puts out 80 lumens, while low mode is a more modest 15 lumens. That brightness has a definite consequence with battery life: the Radiant battery will give you almost 9.5 hours of low power light, but switch to the brighter mode and run time drops to 2 hours.

For some uses, high brightness and low run time is perfectly acceptable, of course. If you have a convenient power source to recharge a flashlight in your home, on the road, or in the wild, maximum lumens might be just what you need to scare off wild creatures or find your dog on a stormy night. In other scenarios, having a flashlight stop working prematurely can be downright dangerous, so a dimmer light that lasts a lot longer is a smart trade-off.

This is why just about every Nite Ize light offers both high and low modes, so you can decide in the moment whether run time or brightness is more important. And don't forget, a narrow beam at a given lumen level will always appear brighter than a wide beam.

Battery powered vs. Rechargeable

The Radiant 3-in-1 utilizes one AA battery as its power source. This means you can have extra batteries in your hunting bag, backpack or glove box and switch them out at any time. Easy enough, though you’ll still want to pack out the expired battery so you can recycle them.

A rechargeable flashlight offers a different cost/benefit experience. When the battery runs low, all you have to do is plug it in and wait until it's ready to go - no trips to the store necessary. However, rechargeable flashlights do require access to a power source and don't offer the immediate use you get when you pop in a new set of batteries.

The ANSI & IP rating systems?

Flashlights get a lot of abuse in woods, mountains and basements. That’s why there’s a standard measure of flashlight toughness known as ANSI / NEMA FL1. It also encapsulates light output, run time and other specifications in a single place, making it easy to comparison shop. By way of example, here are the ANSI specs for the Radiant 3-in-1 LED:

The four boxes on the left side indicate that the flashlight has two brightness levels: 80 lumens on high and 15 lumens on low. On full brightness and with fresh batteries, the flashlight will remain brightly illuminated for 2 hours. On the lower brightness, since less power is required, those same batteries will last 9 hours, 25 minutes.

The next set of icons indicate that the flashlight is weather proof, shock resistant to a 1-meter drop, and can illuminate objects up to 50 meters away.

There’s also an IP rating system that can be helpful too, specifying dust and water resistance detailing whether a product is water resistant or waterproof, and to what depth of water. The Radiant 3-in-1 Mini is weather resistant as indicated by the rain cloud.

Now You Know All About Flashlights

Truth is, there’s a lot involved in choosing the best flashlight for a specific application or task. It’s not just about how many batteries are required and the desired brightness level! That’s why it makes sense to do a bit of homework to ensure that the next flashlight you buy is going to be a perfect fit for your needs, whether you’re poised to ascend Kilimanjaro, take on organizing your attic, RV through Mexico or just look for lost earrings in the backyard.

I was searching for the end of the Internet the other day when I stumbled upon an article I've been waiting to read since discovering the fake pockets on my jeggings in 3rd grade.

Women have known since the dawn of jeans that our pockets are barely big enough to hold a Reese's Cup, let alone a phone, wallet, or anything useful (like multiple Reese's Cups, but we're going to ignore the author's disturbing preoccupation with keeping peanut butter cups in her pockets for the sake of this argument.) This article by The Pudding collected data on more than 80 pairs of blue jeans to create what might be the most well-researched article about tiny useless pockets ever created.

The result? Yes, women's pockets are generally useless, especially when it comes to holding the phones that are a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives. Pockets on women's jeans are on average almost 50% shorter than comparable pockets on men's pants, which is why I'm practically giddy about the Nite Ize Hitch™ Phone Anchor + Tether.

This simple design of the Hitch has been a game changer for me, creating a built in wrist-strap, handle, or tether for my phone.After inserting the ultra-thin pad between the phone and case, a small ring slips through the charging port and connects to a stretchy tether via two MicroLocks. These MicroLocks allow you to connect one end to belt loops, backpacks, and more for convenience and drop protection, but I prefer to connect them together so that I always have handy dandy wristband and grab-and-go handle right on my phone.

Between managing two kids, a job, and lots of outdoor adventures, it seems that I'm always carrying something. And usually I'm always carrying lots of somethings. It doesn't matter whether I'm wearing a skirt or pocket-plentiful cargo pants, it's so quick and convenient to slip the tether around my wrist while I rush off to a meeting while juggling a computer, notebook, and an obligatory cup of coffee.

Ever since Nite Ize introduced The Hitch Phone Anchor + Tether, I've been showing off my fancy new wrist strap, which I've now blinged out with colorful aluminum S-Biner MicroLocks. When I showed my friend who was holding her 1-year-old daughter on her hip, she got visibly excited and then disappointed. "Where was that six months ago when I dropped my phone and shattered the screen?" she asked.

Although we developed this product for drop protection, I've found that the Hitch is my solution to carrying my phone while my hands are full or while donning jeans with tiny pockets, leggings, or skirts. As an added bonus, I can hand my phone over to my kid and let him take pictures without having to worry about him dropping it. And when I go for a bike ride and take that obligatory mid-ride selfie, I slip the strap around my wrist and snap away knowing a little bump won't send my phone tumbling to the dirt. I finally have a handle on my phone, both figuratively and literally.

Plus, now I know what I'm getting every parent and multi-tasker I know for Christmas. To purchase your Hitch, click here.

Q: Tell us all about yourself, first off. How did you get into hunting and fishing and what are your earliest hunting memories?

Although I grew up in central Kentucky, I wasn’t a hunter as a kid. My parents and I had cattle and horses. The first time I even saw a deer near my home was when I was 16. I didn’t start actually hunting until I was in my early 20s. A buddy of mine at the police department where I worked came up with the idea. We didn’t have a clue what we were doing and a camera crew should’ve been with to film a comedy show.

I stuck with it and after I had harvested a few deer, I decided to switch exclusively to archery equipment. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else in the fall now!

I did grow up fishing in farm ponds, mostly catfish and bluegill. Quite frankly, that was a little slow for me or maybe the reward isn’t as big? But in the end, I don’t have the time to take on another hobby, because anything I do, it's FULL TILT, and I simply can’t do anything half-cocked. It’s gotta be all or nothing!

Q: What's your favorite weapon for a hunt?

100% - just a bow. Although I did start out hunting with rifles and muzzleloaders, I have gone to exclusively archery gear for the last decade. It’s more of a challenge because typically your shots are within 30 yards. Part of the fun of the hunt is also me seeing how close I can get to the deer while remaining undetected.

My thinking is that if I use a rifle and shoot a deer at 200-400 yards, that animal will never even know I existed. But at 30 yards, stand placement, sounds and scent all come into play. Obviously, there are some hunts that are extremely tough with a bow, but it has just become my style of hunting.

Q: What specific things are on your list when you're preparing for hunting season?

Preparation is key for hunting. Scouting and looking for sign in the woods is a lot of fun. I study the topography of the areas where I will be hunting and the surrounding areas. I plant food plots (beans, turnips, oats, wheat, corn) for the deer and other wildlife. Trail cameras have come a long way in the last 10 years and do a fantastic job of letting you track what’s moving through and at what times.

Shooting my bow is really important to me. The goal is to always make an ethical shot. It’s hunting and it’s violent, there is no way around that. So, the practice I do ensures that when I take that shot, every effort has been put into making sure its the best shot I can take, the placement is accurate and the animal dies quickly.

Q: Where's the most exotic place you've gone hunting or fishing?

Montana! For a Midwest boy, going out west was awesome! The mountains and terrain are absolutely gorgeous. I have been hunting there twice for antelope with archery equipment. I was able to harvest a solid antelope on public land this past fall and spread awareness about state and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) ground too. BLM land in recent years has become subject to debate with the government trying to take away some public lands. I believe we are all public land owners, whether we are hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, or enjoying national/state parks. In a nutshell, public lands should stay in public hands.

Q: What's Arrow Wild TV and who would want to watch it?

Arrow Wild TV is a photography/media content company that has a web show. Instead of the traditional hunting shows that are on cable networks, we do more “real time” as the season unfolds. We show the shed season.

Note: Deer shed, or drop, their antlers each year and it’s like an Easter egg hunt to try and find them. It’s especially cool when it’s a deer you’re familiar with or with whom you’ve had some history.

We try to educate a little, show the ups/downs, the effort and the conservation side of hunting in lieu of just the harvesting side of hunting. The entire year as a whole is much more involved and intimate than most people who are unfamiliar with hunting would expect.

Q: If you could travel anywhere on Earth for your next adventure, where would you head?

I would have to say Alaska, New Zealand, Russia! Moose, Bear, Red Stag! I could go on and on. But there is so much of North America that I want to see and experience, I think I will stick to that for a while. Finances also keep me in the lower 48. So much of where/what I do is driven by this… I don’t have a fear of dying, that part went away during my 15 years as a police officer. I only have a genuine fear of dying before I accomplish everything I want to see and do.

Q: What's your favorite Nite Ize product and why?

My favorite Nite Ize products are the flashlights, mainly headlamps, the Steelie line, and CamJam straps. I’m very active and always on the go, so to see where I’m going when it’s dark, and with social media work/maps on my phone, a Steelie to throw my phone onto and keep rolling, it’s all really important. Cinching down equipment and camera tripods so they aren’t rattling around is a plus too, and I think that’s the Nite Ize secret sauce, solving problems, one small gadget at a time.

Q: “Solving problems, one gadget at a time.” Very nice. What else do you want to share?

I have gained so much from hunting and met so many great, passionate people that I wanted to give back. I reached out to my local DNR (Department of Natural Resources) officer and became an Iowa Hunter Safety Instructor. It has been so awesome to teach safety to new hunters and, to steal a line from my DNR buddy, we are staying to teach about incidents too.

Accidents happen and can’t be avoided. But incidents can! So, if we can teach the importance of wearing a harness when climbing into trees and teaching gun safety to hunters young and old, then maybe we can prevent these incidents from happening.

I also have organized some donations to Quality Deer Management Association by designing a shirt I sold through Arrow Wild TV. The shirt said “#conservation / because simply buying a license isn’t enough” I gave 100% of the profits of the sales to the QDMA. What’s the old saying? Leave it better than you found it. That’s what I try to do every day, even if it’s just walking the public lands and picking up trash, or teaching hunter safety to groups.

Q: Great stuff. Thanks. How do people find you online if they want to follow your adventures?

Whether you’re a pro golfer or a weekend duffer, there’s just something compelling about hitting a little white ball onto the green and then rolling it into the hole. But golf isn’t the same game your grandpa played: Club technology has improved dramatically and even golf balls are carefully engineered for maximum loft and distance. Golf bags, scoring systems, tools to analyze the lie of the shot and distance to the green, they’re all new and can be darn helpful in the quest to better your game.

Modern golfers also end up accumulating lots of gear, which means that there’s an inherent challenge for every player: how to keep it all neat and organized? That’s where Nite Ize can help with a wide range of products perfect for golfers, whether you’re on the links every day or just once or twice a month when you can fit it into your busy schedule.

One of the most helpful tools is a device that’s all too easy to lose: a pen. Sure, you can keep score with your smartphone, but it’s so nice to just turn off that pesky digital leash and enjoy a few rounds with your friends. Enter the Inka® Key Chain Pen. It’s perfect for every outdoor activity with its compact size, reliable ink system, and keychain-style loop that can be easily attached to a golf bag. Smart golfers also have a second hooked to their keys, because if you’re landing those double eagles, you definitely want to be keeping score!

Nite Ize has a lot of other useful gear for the inveterate golfer. S-Biners® are a splendid way to attach bigger items to your golf bag - like your golf towel or that white flag you want to wave when you’re ready to surrender to the green! - and Gear Ties® can ensure that your golf bag stays put in the back your car en route too.

If you like to save money on greens fees by golfing early into the evening, a few Glowsticks and a Radiant® 3-in-1 LED Flashlight can help you keep track of all your gear. Or get an early start on the post-game festivities as you’re heading back after getting an eagle on the 18th hole.

The best Nite Ize product for most golfers, however, is one that is all about practicality: the Traveler™ Drink Holster. After all, who wants to spend a day on the golf course without some sort of refreshment along the way?

However you play golf and whatever level of gear you have, Nite Ize can enhance your time on the course with our wide variety of different solutions. Check them out, you’ll be improving your game in no time!

After eighteen years of the frequently challenging daily task of parenting, I reached a milestone in my son’s life: He headed off to college. And he's not staying close to home. We live in Boulder, Colorado but he chose Pitzer College in Claremont, California, almost exactly 1,000 miles from home.

I lived in the dorms when I went to college many eons ago, but the increase in technology and electronics coupled with more participatory and attentive parenting has changed the dorm life experience quite a bit. College kids expect nicer housing amenities and parents demand it.

Still, dorm rooms are fundamentally small rooms where two kids who don’t know each other are stuck sharing the space and learning how to get along, even as they both figure out that college thing too.

Fortunately, Nite Ize had some great ideas for making the most out of those small dorm rooms and navigating the college experience. We pulled together a College Dorm Move-In Kit that contained lots of great products to help out with cable organization, bike safety, and recreation. Here’s a photo of my son on his dorm bed with the Kit spread out:

It wasn’t until he started trying to plug in his computer, phone charger, music speakers, voice speaker, lamp and other gadgets that he suddenly realized the great benefit of organizing all his cords. The Gear Ties worked great for that and ensured that he’d never accidentally unplug anything while sitting at the desk doing homework (or surfing the internet while not doing homework as it may be.)

We decided not to take his bicycle to campus on move-in, but it turns out that his dorm mate is a triathlete and has spare bikes, one of which he generously loaned to my son! The Radiant 125 bike lights are going to work great to keep them safe while biking around campus and the community at night, one on each of their bikes. And since they're rechargeable, there's no batteries to buy.

Of all the Nite Ize products, however, there’s no question that the one he was most excited about was the Flashflight. Being based in California means that the evenings are delightful, the students are outdoor minded, and everyone’s already good at tossing flying discs. With its light-up colors and smooth flight, Gareth’s sure to be the most popular guy on campus in no time with his Flashflight!

Move-in is done. He’s set up in his dorm room, wires organized and flashlight sitting by the bed in case of emergencies. His bike will be well illuminated and his charging cables now sport collars to make them more reliable. He’s even ready for late night outdoor recreation. Now the hard part: classes, studying and working towards his degree. I’m confident he’s going to do great!

Ben and Roxy are more than road warriors. They spend all day, every day traveling the country out of a custom van as part of the Elevation Outdoors Live Outside and Play Road Team. While taking the road less traveled, these two have developed clever ways to keep their rolling home organized, accessible, and ready to handle whatever bumps come their way.

The versatility of Gear Ties® have made these Reusable Rubber Twist Ties™ a vital part of their everyday lives. Colorful Gear Ties can be spotted throughout their van, illustrating numerous ways that Ben, Roxy, and their pup Henry have discovered solutions on the fly. From securing their refrigerator to creating impromptu storage, Ben and Roxy have a variety of ways that these everyday items have proved essential.

Whether you're traveling across the country or going for a short family road trip, check out the Live Outside and Play Road Team's favorite out-of-the-box ways to make long days in the car easier with Gear Ties.

There are a lot of different customers who rely on Nite Ize gear, but few have cuter co-workers than Mike Hanson. Mike is a member of the Nite Ize Field Team, a disc dog trainer and has traveled the United States competing with his various dogs at flying disc competitions. We caught up with him for this interview…

Q: Right off the bat, all your dogs are female:Jordan, SiZZle, and, MaggEY. Why female? Are they better at catching or staying focused?

I prefer females based on personality. They have a touch of individualism that when trained correctly, makes for a good team.

Q: Tell us all about your dogs! Tell us their names, ages, howthey joined your family and their personalities.

MaggEY – 12-year-old Border Collie mix. She is my first dog and the pack leader of the house. She has the best personality and is the best dog I have ever owned. She was rescued in Colorado Springs, CO. Her litter was thrown into a field, and she was the only dog that made it. When a group went out to look for them, they found her under a tree stump whimpering. She went on to win five Colorado State Championships, three World Championships, and has performed before hundreds of thousands of people. She has performed for all of the major Denver sports teams and local colleges. I am truly lucky to have her come into my life.

Cooper – 11-year-old Border Collie mix. He was rescued in Paonia, CO. His disc career was cut short due to a freak accident in which he jumped off of a third floor balcony of an apartment complex. He survived the fall, but his budding disc career was over. He now has the best life a dog could have at our house--chasing squirrels and ensuring there are no monsters under our daughters bed.

Jordan – 8-year-old Border Collie. She was rescued in Gunnison, CO. She is the smartest dog I have ever owned. She learns so fast and is always willing to work. She might be cross-eyed, however, because she can’t catch a disc very well at all. She enjoys going for hikes and playing disc golf with me when she is not pretending to be a disc dog.

SiZZle – 2-year-old Australian Shepherd/Border Collie/Cattle Dog mix. She came out of the birth canal chasing a disc. She has so much energy, and is always willing and wanting to please. She is our “up and comer” and is turning into an amazing dog. I can’t wait to see where she takes us.

Q: How did you get into training your dogs to catch flying discs? Most dogs live for fun, but bringing a stick back is a lot easier than jumping up and catching something mid-flight!

We went to a competition in Littleton, CO for the Colorado Disc Dogs. MaggEY and I spent the day watching them and at the end of the day, they gave us a disc and a couple of tips. The next day I took her out, gave her a throw, she ran it down, and we were hooked. From there we went and learned online from watching YouTube routines. The rest is history.

Q: What competitions have you participated in with your dogs?

We compete in freestyle competitions where you do a two-minute routine with tricks set to music. You are judged on style, athleticism, teamwork, and overall presentation. We also do a “Toss and Catch” competition where you have a 40-yard field with different bonus zones and try to get as many catches as possible in one minute. A fast dog can get five throws to the furthest zone in one minute. One of our favorite competitions is a long distance competition called “The Hero Cup” where you throw as far as you can and have your dog catch it. I have had catches past 87 yards before.

Q: When you're not tossing discs for your girls to catch, what's your day job?

I run a youth sports program for kids age 3-14 in Littleton, CO. We take kids that have never played sports before, teach them, and give them and opportunity to play. We help over 5,000 kids play sports each year.

Q: What's your favorite Nite Ize product?

The Pack-A-Poo® Bag Dispenser is a game changer for a guy that picks up a lot of dog poop. The fact you can wind your poop bags back up into the dispenser is pretty awesome. I also use the Gear Ties® in my cars for everything. I especially like them to tie the dog bowls to the front of the crates. The SpotLit® is great to have on road trips to keep track of your dogs at night as well.

Q: Back in 2015 you and your dog did the NFL halftime show during Broncos vs. Colts. What did you do and what was that experience like?

My friends and I did the halftime show for the opening night of the NFL season. When MaggEY and I got out to the field, there was no one else on the field- just her and I under the lights at Sports Authority Field in front of 80,000 people doing what we both love to do the most. She didn’t drop a single disc that night. It is an experience that leaves me with goose bumps every time I think about it or tell the story. It is a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.

Q: Ever thought about training cats to catch flying discs? How do you imagine that'd go?

I am allergic to cats, LOL. I am sure someone could train them to catch a disc. Good luck on them bringing it back, though!

Mike adds: I love my family and the fact that this sport can be enjoyed by all of us. My daughter, Emma, won the 7-and -Under World Championship with MaggEY last year. This sport allows us to travel and meet friends we would have never known if it wasn’t for our dogs. It is amazing how much these dogs have changed my life and all it took was rescuing one. I encourage everyone to go out and rescue your next pet.

Thoughts on Innovation, the Nite Ize way.

We have over 400 innovative problem/solution based products that appeal to anyone who has ever faced a daily frustration and found that perfect product to solve their problem. Whether you are into the latest tech products, love to walk your dog, enjoy hunting & fishing, biking with your family, or just love a helpful gadget, we hope that you will find a Nite Ize product that makes your life easier, safer and more fun – night and day! We love to share stories & ideas with our friends and customers. Enjoy!